This invention relates to an advertising mat of the type that is placed on the floor and can be used in high pedestrian traffic establishments, such as in stores, factories, office buildings, sports facilities, and apartment buildings where there is pedestrian traffic. More particularly, the invention relates to an advertising mat which can include easily replaceable advertising panels adjacent the predicted path of the customers of the store.
In the environment of heavy pedestrian traffic, such as in a retail store, sports arena, factory, apartment building, etc., heavy customer traffic is predictable in certain areas of the building, particularly at the entrance and exit of the building, and along certain aisles and in front of certain counters. In many instances, the customer traffic pattern can be accurately predicted and mats are laid in the predicted paths. The mats have the function of cleaning the customer""s feet and maintaining the floor of a store in clean condition.
Because of the accumulation of dirt, etc. on the typical mat, the store management requires that the mats be cleaned and/or replaced on a periodic basis, and the cost of the maintenance and replacement of the mats usually is paid for by the store as part of the store overhead.
In some instances, certain product manufacturers have developed floor mats that bear advertisements of goods offered for sale in the store. These advertising mats are a benefit to the store in that they perform the cleaning function described above, and the company advertising its goods typically will pay for some, if not all, of the expense in manufacturing and placing the mats. However, the customers typically walk on the face of the mat and the dirt, grime, etc. from the feet of the customers accumulates on the face of the mat. The advertising mats that display the advertising in the same area that is also used to remove and trap soil from the feet of the pedestrian have disadvantages. One is the advertising message is quickly soiled. Another is some graphic techniques, such as flocking, wear out quickly. This results in frequent replacement of the mats by the supplier. If the mats are not frequently replaced, the graphics of the mat will become so tarnished and undesirable in appearance and the customers viewing the mats will not receive a positive image of the advertised product, and the mats fail to provide the positive, upbeat image of the advertised product.
Accordingly, this invention addresses the above noted problem of deterioration of the image of floor mats in advertising goods of the store and providing a mat that has a changeable advertising surface.
Briefly described, the present invention comprises an advertising mat for use in high traffic areas of retail stores and other sales facilities, whereby a rubberized mat is placed in the predicted traffic path of customers of the store for providing visual advertisements of products and services of the store or products and services offered elsewhere. Particularly, the floor mat can be formed of a rubberized material having a bottom surface for engaging a floor and an upper surface over which pedestrian traffic will pass. The floor mat upper surface includes a central section adapted for placement in a pedestrian path and for engagement by pedestrian traffic. Opposed side sections straddle the central section of the mat and are intended for placement adjacent pedestrian traffic where they are visible to the pedestrian walking on or near the floor mat. Each said opposed side section can have a substantially smooth upper surface compatible with supporting an advertising mat and/or a graphics sheet. Graphics sheets are mountable on the upper surfaces of the side sections of the floor mat. Each graphics sheet can have opposed upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the graphics sheets bearing advertising indicia and the lower surfaces of the graphics sheets bearing releasable adhesive. One graphics sheet is disposed in each of the side sections.
Another embodiment of the present floor mat provides a floor mat having a bottom surface for engaging a floor and an upper surface over which pedestrian traffic will pass. The floor mat upper surface includes a traffic section adapted for placement in a pedestrian path, and at least one side section having a plurality of hold down tabs. The side section is adjacent the traffic section. An advertising mat or panel including a top surface bearing advertising indicia is configured for placement in the side section. The plurality of hold down tabs releasably secures the panel in the side section.
In practice, the mats will be supplied to a retail store, etc. for use at the entrance and other high pedestrian traffic areas of the store, with the central section of the mat placed in the anticipated pedestrian path and the wings of the mats straddling the pedestrian path, with the advertisements in the wings of the mat. This straddling relationship of the advertisements with respect to the predicted pedestrian path across the mat typically removes the graphics sheets from most of the pedestrian travel, so that the graphics sheets will have a longer life span than if placed directly in the pedestrian path, and will be subject to less soiling.
Another feature of the invention is the releasable adhesive utilized to apply the graphics sheets to the side sections of the mat. This allows the advertisers to frequently replace the graphics sheets on the mat, by peeling the previously used graphics sheets from the mat and then applying new graphics sheets to the side sections of the mat.
The top surface of the mat is configured so as to provide a border that protects the graphics sheets from accidental engagement at their edges by the feet of pedestrians, thereby tending to avoid inadvertent peeling away of the graphics sheets from the mat and tripping of the pedestrians.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a process for fabricating an advertising floor mat. The process includes the steps of providing a rubberized mat having a bottom surface for placing on the floor of a building structure and an opposed upwardly facing surface; disposing a plate on the upper surface, the plate having a top surface; elevating the temperature that the mat and the plate are exposed to; exerting force on the plate such that the plate is forced into the mat; removing the plate from the mat, thereby forming a recess having a raised border in the upper surface of the mat; and placing a panel bearing advertising indicia in the recess.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved advertising mat for use in high traffic retail stores and other commercial locations for the purpose of advertising goods that can be purchased in the establishment.
Another object of this invention is to provide an advertising mat that can be utilized in predicted pedestrian paths, with graphics sheets straddling the pedestrian paths.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such additional objects, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.